Residential natural gas customer satisfaction has increased in 2012, compared with 2011, according to the recently released J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study.^SM Overall satisfaction with natural gas utility companies averages 634 (on a 1,000-point scale), compared with 627 in 2011. The study, now in its 11th year, finds that the average reported monthly gas bill in 2012 is $78, which is down 11% from $87 in 2011.

The study also finds that when customers are aware of energy-efficiency programs offered by their utility, satisfaction with price is 87 points higher than when they are not aware of these programs.

"Both communication and customer service efforts by utility providers are contributing to the overall satisfaction increases from last year," said John Hazen, senior director of the energy practice at J.D. Power and Associates. "Areas such as customer service and communications are very personal to customers and provide an opportunity for utilities to make a significant impact on overall customer satisfaction."

The study ranks large and midsize utility companies in four geographic regions: East, Midwest, South and West. Companies in the midsize utility segment serve between 165,000 and 399,999 residential customers, while companies in the large utility segment serve 400,000 or more residential customers. The highest-ranking utilities in each region are as follows (in rank order):

East--Large Utilities

1. New Jersey Natural Gas
2. UGI Utilities
3. PECO

East--Midsize Utilities

1. NSTAR Gas
2. Yankee Gas
3. South Jersey Gas

Midwest--Large Utilities

1. MidAmerican Energy
2. We Energies
3. DTE Energy

Midwest--Midsize Utilities

1. Citizens Gas
2. Metropolitan Utilities District
3. Alliant Energy

South--Large Utilities

1. Oklahoma Natural Gas
2. PSNC Energy
3. CenterPoint Energy-South

South--Midsize Utilities

1. South Carolina Electric & Gas
2. TECO Peoples Gas
3. CPS Energy

West--Large Utilities

1. Southern California Gas Company
2. NW Natural
3. Questar Gas

West--Midsize Utilities

1. Intermountain Gas Company
2. Cascade Natural Gas
3. Avista

Based on study findings, J.D. Power and Associates offers the following tips on how to save energy and reduce your utility bills:

• Change your thermostat settings each season to use less energy. Most people are comfortable at 68 degrees in winter and 72 degrees in summer.
• Repair or replace weather stripping on doors and windows where needed, and check for drafts and leaks in windows and around doors. Consider replacing old doors, and install screen doors that have slide-in glass panels for cold weather. If you have storm windows, remember to put them up before winter sets in.
• Check the energy efficiency of your major appliances: water heater, washer, dryer, refrigerator. Older appliances tend to use more energy, so consider replacing them. Look for appliances that have the ENERGY STAR label, since they tend to be energy-efficient.
• Have your furnace and air conditioner checked by a professional before each cold or hot season.

The 2012 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction Study is based on more than 63,500 responses from residential customers of the 75 largest gas utilities across the continental United States. These utilities serve nearly 54 million households. The study was fielded between September 2011 and July 2012.